The quality of adolescents' peer relationships modulates neural sensitivity to risk taking

Eva H Telzer; Andrew J Fuligni; Matthew D Lieberman; Michelle E Miernicki; Adriana Galván

doi:10.1093/scan/nsu064

The quality of adolescents' peer relationships modulates neural sensitivity to risk taking

Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2015 Mar;10(3):389-98. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsu064. Epub 2014 May 1.

Authors

Eva H Telzer¹, Andrew J Fuligni², Matthew D Lieberman², Michelle E Miernicki³, Adriana Galván²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA Department of Psychology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA ehtelzer@illinois.edu.
² Department of Psychology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA Department of Psychology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
³ Department of Psychology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Abstract

Adolescents' peer culture plays a key role in the development and maintenance of risk-taking behavior. Despite recent advances in developmental neuroscience suggesting that peers may increase neural sensitivity to rewards, we know relatively little about how the quality of peer relations impact adolescent risk taking. In the current 2-year three-wave longitudinal study, we examined how chronic levels of peer conflict relate to risk taking behaviorally and neurally, and whether this is modified by high-quality peer relationships. Forty-six adolescents completed daily diaries assessing peer conflict across 2 years as well as a measure of peer support. During a functional brain scan, adolescents completed a risk-taking task. Behaviorally, peer conflict was associated with greater risk-taking behavior, especially for adolescents reporting low peer support. High levels of peer support buffered this association. At the neural level, peer conflict was associated with greater activation in the striatum and insula, especially among adolescents reporting low peer support, whereas this association was buffered for adolescents reporting high peer support. Results are consistent with the stress-buffering model of social relationships and underscore the importance of the quality of adolescents' peer relationships for their risk taking.

Keywords: adolescence; fMRI; friendship; peers; risk taking.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Conduct Disorder / psychology
Conflict, Psychological
Culture
Female
Humans
Interpersonal Relations*
Longitudinal Studies
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Peer Group*
Reward
Risk-Taking*
Social Support

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding